Solar sales red flags

Pressure is a poor substitute for a design

A good solar quote comes from a survey, a design and a clear list of equipment. A bad one comes from a sales script. However, the difference only shows up in how the firm treats your questions.

This guide lists the warning signs we think matter most. One red flag does not prove bad faith. Still, several together are a reason to stop, take the paperwork away and check everything.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) publishes guidance on unfair commercial practices. It explains what counts as misleading or aggressive selling under consumer law. Use it as a yardstick, because it helps when something feels wrong.

Financial claims

Money claims are where many sales go wrong, so pause if you hear any of these.

• Promised savings. Nobody can promise what you will save, because savings depend on your use, your tariff and future prices.
• Hidden assumptions. A payback figure with no stated energy price, no degradation and no inverter replacement is not a forecast.
• Fixed export income. Export payments vary by supplier. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, suppliers must offer a rate above zero but are free to set their own terms.
• Free panels. Panels are rarely free. If a deal sounds free, ask who owns the system, who gets the export income and what you owe if you move.
• Savings that look too round. A neat figure with no workings behind it is a marketing line.

Government sources give broad estimates, such as around £530 a year for a typical home. However, that release does not show its assumptions. So treat the figure as a ballpark, and ask each installer to show the workings for your home. Our solar panel costs guide sets out how to judge a price against official data.

Also check how a firm talks about tax.

HMRC says solar panels and batteries are zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027. The rate reverts to 5% from 1 April 2027 under current law. A deadline can be real, yet it should not be a lever to rush you. Our guide to VAT on solar panels explains what the change means.

Sales behaviour

How a firm sells tells you how it may behave later, so be cautious about these tactics.

• Countdown discounts, such as “this price ends today”.
• Claims that a grant is about to expire, with no source you can check.
• Demands for an immediate deposit to “reserve” a slot.
• Invented scarcity, such as “only two installs left this month”.
• Reluctance to let you read the contract or compare it with others.
• A salesperson who stays long after you ask them to leave.
• Pressure to sign finance paperwork you have not read.

The reply is simple. Say you will decide after you have compared quotes. A genuine installer will accept that, while a fake offer will vanish the moment you step back.

Grant claims and cold calls

Grant scams use real scheme names to sound official, so be careful with anyone who contacts you out of the blue.

Support does exist, but it has rules, and it changes. Ofgem says ECO4 runs until 31 December 2026, and GOV.UK says there is no successor supplier scheme. The Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026.

Warm Homes: Local Grant is run by councils in England. It covers solar panels and batteries, although only low-income homes with an EPC rating of D to G qualify.

So a caller who says everyone qualifies for a free grant is not telling the truth. A caller who knows your address and says the council sent them also deserves caution. Our solar panel grants guide explains what is on offer in each nation.

If a call or doorstep visit makes you uneasy, take these steps.

1. Do not agree to anything, and do not give bank or card details.
2. Ask for the company name, address and registration numbers.
3. End the call, then look the company up yourself.
4. Report anything that looks like fraud to Action Fraud, or to your local Trading Standards service through Citizens Advice.

Evidence gaps

Missing paperwork is a red flag in itself, because gaps are hard to fix after you sign. Resolve them first.

• No equipment models named, only “premium panels”.
• A vague or short warranty, with no named provider behind it.
• Subcontracting that nobody has explained.
• An unitemised scope, with a single price for “the works”.
• Verbal-only promises that are not in the contract.
• No survey, or a survey done from a photo.
• No structural check of the roof.

MCS is the UK quality mark for small-scale solar, and you can check a firm on the MCS installer search. Our guide to MCS-certified solar installers explains why it matters. Certification also affects Smart Export Guarantee payments, so a firm that dodges the question is a concern.

Payment and contract warnings

Check how and when you pay. RECC members must insure deposits, stage payments and the workmanship warranties they issue. Since anyone can claim to be a member, verify it on the RECC site.

Watch for these signs.

• A request to pay in cash, or into a personal account.
• A very large deposit, or payment in full before work starts.
• A company name on the contract that differs from the one you checked.
• Finance arranged at your door, with terms you have not read.
• Cancellation rights that are unclear or hard to find.

Likewise, check that the warranty provider is named and can honour the cover. If the firm collapses, its own warranty is worth little unless insurance backs it.

What to do instead

Slow the process down. Ask each firm the same questions, and get the answers in writing. Our list of questions to ask a solar installer is a good starting point. Then build a shortlist you can check, using our guide to finding an installer.

If you want help finding firms, you can request quotes through our enquiry form. No enquiry goes to any firm unless you send it. The same red flags apply to any firm you meet.

If you have already signed and now have doubts, act quickly. Check your cancellation rights in the contract, and keep every message. Good records make any complaint stronger, so ask Citizens Advice or Trading Standards for help.